catholicPittsburgh.org

On most Saturday mornings WQED broadcasts Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly at 9:30AM. During a recent program they presented the following information about the upcoming Congress:
Roman Catholics continue to have the highest number: 153 and if I heard the reporter correctly, for the first time, there are more Republicans than Democrats in this group. There are 72 Baptists, 61 Methodists, 50 Presbyterians, 41 Episcopalians, 37 Jews, 20 Lutherans, and 6 who have no affiliation.

Since the overwhelming majority call themselves Christians, is it appropriate to ask how well their votes reflect gospel values? However, our government was established on the separation of church and state. How do their votes reflect genuine humane values? Is there integrity, honesty, and humility to be found among our leaders? Do we care about the poor and powerless? We know where Jesus placed them. They were the focus of his ministry; his healing returned the nobodies to the community where they could live with respect and dignity. What priorities do lawmakers have? Do they respond to the rich and powerful so all remain in power while the poor, like Lazurus, languish not too far from the halls of Congress in Washington?

Do the Christians among them live with any fear or trepidation about the last judgement when the sheep and goats are separated by how we cared for the least among us?

Questions like these keep our minds alert and awake. Isn't that one of the many Advent invitations: Stay alert...never allow yourself to become so certain that you need not learn anymore. As Madeleine L'Engle said at Pitt Theological: "Every good answer leads to another question."